Worth knowing:
The English name Horseradish Tree points to the roots of the Moringa oleifera that have a strong horseradish smell. The fast-growing and summer-green plant produces neat pinnate leaves and creme-white blossoms with a strong fragrance of honey and violets. It is also considered a miracle tree since it is very resourceful in almost all its parts. The ground seeds can sterilize drinking water, and in the traditional medicine of India and Africa all parts of the Horseradish come to use. The juice helps to stabilize the blood pressure, the leaves are used as an anti-inflammatory and the roots can help with rheumatic diseases. Since the Moringa also has a pleasant taste, it is a welcoming enrichment to the daily food in many countries. The leaves as well as the pods and flowers are fit to eat, while every part of the plant has its own flavour and is used in various ways, whether as a powder or in a fresh way. In Cuba the Horseradish is an affordable resource for the phytomedicine and as a food supplement, and it is seen as highly prospective for agriculture.
Natural Location:
The Horseradish has its natural habitat in the Himalayan region of Northwest India, but it can nowadays be found in the Tropics and Subtropics worldwide – mainly in Africa, South East Asia and the Caribbean Islands.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you can place the seeds for about 12 hours in warm water for priming. Then, plant the seeds about 1 cm deep into moist potting compost and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25°C and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Usually it only takes about two weeks until germination.
Place:
As a tub plant the Moringa can be kept in a bright place indoors or in a protected spot outdoors during summer.
Care:
The Horseradish needs only modest watering since its roots have a good storage capacity. Waterlogging, for instance in the saucer, can cause damage to the roots and will slow down its development. As a fast-growing plant, it can be pruned back regularly. You can use the leaves in a salad or as tea, and when dried and ground also as a spice.
During the winter:
The Horseradish is sensitive to frost and wants to hibernate in a bright place at room temperature.
Picture credits:
- © © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © yimhafiz - CC-BY-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
- © Krish Dulal - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
